Anna Raynerhttp://annarayner.com
HomeopathFri, 01 Jun 2018 07:41:43 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.16MAKING KOMBUCHAhttp://annarayner.com/making-kombucha/
http://annarayner.com/making-kombucha/#respondThu, 14 Apr 2016 10:59:46 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=725I was kindly initiated into the world of Kombucha brewing by a friend, and I wanted to share it with everyone. It is a wonderful source of probiotics, and I could feel it working through my stomach in the most amazing way. I am now an addict, and thought I’d write a post on how […]

I was kindly initiated into the world of Kombucha brewing by a friend, and I wanted to share it with everyone. It is a wonderful source of probiotics, and I could feel it working through my stomach in the most amazing way. I am now an addict, and thought I’d write a post on how to make it rather than having to explain multiple times how its done.

Before being shown, it seemed very complicated, but now it only takes me 1o minutes start to finish. I think its fantastic for children with gut issues, although do give in the morning as it has a little tea in it, and serve watered down 1 part kombucha :3 parts water and juice. It’s potent stuff! I have been told it has GcMaf-type probiotics in, but I can’t find this referenced anywhere in the literature. All I can say is, I’ve found it rather brilliant personally.

8 grams of black tea (or a mixture of black and green, but it must have some black).

35 grams of honey

40 grams of organic brown sugar

150 ml organic apple cider vinegar. This is only necessary for the first batch. Thereafter you replace the 150ml vinegar with 150ml of your previous batch of Kombucha.

Making the Brew.

Add the honey, sugar and tea to 450ml of boiling water, and let it brew for 10 minutes, making sure all the sugar and honey dissolves.

Strain out the tea leaves and throw them out.

Add 900ml of room temp water to the 450ml of tea to bring it to a nice temperature. The Scoby will die if you put it in liquid that is above 25 degrees Celsius (77 Farenheit). I use a meat thermometer to check temp.

Put the tea liquid in your pickling jar, and add your 150ml of Organic Cider Vinegar (or 150ml of Kombucha if its your second batch).

Cover the jar with a tea towel (don’t fold it – just 1 layer of material so it can breathe) and put a hair band or elastic band around the neck to seal it.

Put on a shelf somewhere cool and steady temp for 2 weeks.

Voila! Your Kombucha is ready to go!

Take out your Scoby, and see that it has made a Scoby baby. You can now make 2 batches if you wish.

Check your Scoby when you make the new batch. Trim off any dubious looking bits, and you can keep reusing to your heart’s content.

play with flavours if its for children. Perhaps a little juice concentrate (small amount only due to sugars) to make it more ‘palatable’.

HAPPY BREWING! You can watch various How To videos on You Tube, and read about the benefits, but the best way is to try for yourself. It’s an ancient drink, dating back to BC era. I really do rate it, as I think putting back fermented foods into our diets is very important. Particularly if you’ve had antibiotics anywhere in the past… give your gut a fighting chance.

I’ll soon be adding SauerKraut to the mix, and will let you know how my experiments go!

]]>http://annarayner.com/making-kombucha/feed/0WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TO VACCINATEhttp://annarayner.com/what-to-do-when-you-have-to-vaccinate/
http://annarayner.com/what-to-do-when-you-have-to-vaccinate/#respondMon, 11 Jan 2016 19:30:49 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=709PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES…. When vaccination is unavoidable, there are steps that can be taken to ensure minimal risks. Here are my guidelines should this be the case. You can choose some or all of these – of the list, the most important is, don’t suppress any associated fever, and don’t vaccinate when ill in any way. […]

When vaccination is unavoidable, there are steps that can be taken to ensure minimal risks. Here are my guidelines should this be the case. You can choose some or all of these – of the list, the most important is, don’t suppress any associated fever, and don’t vaccinate when ill in any way.

500mg vitamin C powder (1 scoop in a weak apple juice) on the morning of the vaccination, 500mg in the evening. 500mg for the next 3 days

Fish oils,B12 and epsom salt baths (2 tablespoons in a bath soak for 20 mins) on 3 days before and after the vaccination.

Never take paracetamol on vaccination days, and DO NOT suppress any associated fever that occurs as a result of vaccination. Do not further stress the liver, or interfere with the body’s attempt to deal with the vaccine.

Take supplemental zinc , Kelp (a small pinch only) and Selenium (3 drops) in a small amount of pure spring water. Continue for 1 week following vaccination.

Order the vaccines in question in homeopathic form* to carry out a homeopathic ‘detox’ of the vaccine itself. This should be given 4 days before and 4 days after the jab – it ‘prepares’ the body for the shock, so it’s not such an assault. Take the remedies last thing at night before sleep. Let’s take MMR booster as an example:

4 days before vaccine: give MMR 30C
3 days before vaccine: give MMR 200C
2 days before vaccine: give MMR 1M
1 day before vaccine: give MMR 10M
day of vaccine: give MMR 30C
2nd day after vaccine: give MMR 200C
3rd day after vaccine: give MMR 1M
4th day after vaccine: give MMR 10M (with multiple boosters at once, use the Poly Vacc A remedy, available from Helios or Source Homeopathy pharmacies).

Also order some Nux Vomica 30C to support the liver (order from the same place as the vaccine remedies). Take 1 pill daily first thing before breakfast for the whole week of the vaccine exposure.

Have your child drink plenty of water on those days (at least 2 litres)

Encourage some gentle movement if they are not too fatigued, to support the lymphatic system and detox process.

If there is sunshine available, use it. Have your child exposed without sunscreen for at least 20-30 minutes a day.

If your child loses their appetite for a day or 2, don’t panic or try to force them to eat. Their body is working hard at an immune level, and it is perfectly safe for them to lose appetite temporarily, as long as they are kept hydrated. Do not forget the importance of salts in the hydration process if they are sweating with high fever. I favour diluted organic apple juice with a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Never, ever present for a vaccination if your child is ill with another virus or otherwise unwell.

Immediately after vaccination apply a patch of bentonite clay on the vaccination site on the arm. This will draw the toxins right out (bring it with you to the doctors mixed up in a pot, and put it straight on after you leave).

Allow your child to rest after the vaccination if they are tired and seem peevish. Don’t exert any more stress on the body than necessary.

What to order: If your child is having multiple shots, order POLY VACC A in 30C, 200C, 1M, and 10M (packet from Source Homeopathy, or 4gp of each bottle from Helios). If they are having one in particular, e.g. MMR, just order that one in 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M.

to copy / paste for email to helios:

please can I have 4gp each of Poly Vacc A 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M

for USA residents:

please can I have 4gp each of Poly Vacc USA 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M

Hopefully forearmed, is forewarned, and your child will come through unscathed. It is often the suppression of the immune response with other drugs (paracetamol, antibiotics etc.) which can have such disastrous consequences, so take the ‘hands off’ approach following vaccination, and trust that the body can do the work (with a little help from its homeopathic friends).

]]>http://annarayner.com/what-to-do-when-you-have-to-vaccinate/feed/0Homeopathic Remedies for Constipationhttp://annarayner.com/homeopathic-remedies-for-constipation/
http://annarayner.com/homeopathic-remedies-for-constipation/#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 15:05:46 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=578 Following on from my Constipation – General Guidelines post, I have now compiled a list of the most effective and common homeopathic remedies for constipation. Because it is sometimes hard to get a really detailed picture of how your child’s constipation really presents… and because you are at the ‘coal-face’ so to speak, I […]

Following on from my Constipation – General Guidelines post, I have now compiled a list of the most effective and common homeopathic remedies for constipation. Because it is sometimes hard to get a really detailed picture of how your child’s constipation really presents… and because you are at the ‘coal-face’ so to speak, I thought this article may lead to a much better ‘hit’ rate in first prescriptions. Have a read, and you will be able to make a far better assessment of which one (or ones) might be best indicated in your child’s case… I should mention that although Aluminium is often at the basis of the causation, it isn’t always the most indicated remedy… read all to make sure!

Alumina: Constipation due to dryness of the intestinal tract. Diminished peristaltic movement and complete inertia of the rectum, so that we have the symptom,’ soft stool expelled with difficulty. There is little or no urging to stool. The stools may be hard and knotty like sheep dung, or may be soft. It is one of our most useful remedies in constipation of children where the rectum is dry, inflamed and bleeding about the orifice. Alumina differs from Bryonia chiefly in the state of rectal inactivity. A dry mouth and an irritated looking tongue may lead to the selection of Alumina. There is much straining with the remedy and the stool is passed in very small quantities – piecemeal, so to speak. Very common in children today who have methylation issues. This is due to the presence of aluminium hydroxide in today’s childhood vaccinations.

Bryonia: This remedy is indicated for constipation with a feeling of dryness in the rectum and large dry stools (as if burnt) that are hard to push out, with sticking or tearing pains. There is generally no urging. Similar to Alumina, but with Alumina there is such inactivity of the rectum that even soft stools are hard to expel. The person feels grouchy or out of sorts. Constipation in young children, is frequently cured by Bryonia 30th. It can be alternated with Nux Vomica at a 30C potency daily with good results

Calcarea carbonica: People who need this remedy often feel more stable when constipated, and experience discomfort and fatigue when the bowels have moved. Large stools are hard at first, then sticky, then liquid. The person may feel chilly and sluggish, have clammy hands and feet, crave sweets, and feel weak and anxious when they have overexerted themselves.

Causticum: This remedy may be helpful when stool is difficult to pass, with lots of painful straining. The person’s face may turn red from effort, and more success may come from standing up. When it finally emerges, the stool will be narrow and full of mucus.

Graphites: This remedy is indicated when large stools look like “sheep dung” or little balls stuck together with mucus. Aching often is felt in the anus after the bowels have moved. People who need this remedy are slow to become alert in the morning, usually stout, and have a tendency toward eczema. There is no urging. The patient sometimes goes days without a stool, and when it does come it is composed of little round balls, knotted together with shreds of mucus and accompanied with great pain when passing, owing to the fissures around the anus. These fissures, as well as the haemorrhoids which accompany them, burn, smart and itch intolerably. Excessive soreness of the anus is common . The mucus-coated stool, the extreme soreness of the anus, the general Graphites temperament of sadness and obesity, will easily decide for the remedy. Graphites suits especially where people tend to not go to the toilet when they need to – they put it off.

Lycopodium: Often constipation accompanied by indigestion with gas and bloating, and many problems involving the bowels. Rubbing the abdomen or drinking something warm may help to relieve the symptoms. A craving for sweets and an energy slump in late afternoon and early evening are strong indications for Lycopodium. There is a sensation after stool as if something remained behind. Constipation, due to constriction of the rectal sphincter calls for this remedy (also Silica) The stools are dry and hard, or the first part hard, the last soft. In the constipation of children and pregnant women it is often a great remedy. A great deal of rumbling in the abdomen following the stool is an additional indication. Nux and Lycopodium may be easily distinguished, though both have the keynote: ‘ineffectual urging to stool’. In Nux, this is due to irregular peristaltic action, while with Lycopodium it is due to a constriction of the rectum. The individual can seem ‘anxious’ about going to the toilet, and it often accompanies a depressive mood.

Natrum Muriaticum: All the muriates have crumbly stools, and so we find that the characteristic constipated stool of Natrum muriaticum is a hard and crumbly one; the rectum is dry, the stool is hard to expel and causes bleeding, smarting and soreness in the rectum. There is ineffectual urging to stool, with stitching pains in the rectum. Magnesia muriatica, another of the muriates, has characteristically a constipation in which the stools are passed with great difficulty, being composed of hard lumps like sheep dung, which are so dry that they crumble as they pass the anus. Ammonium muriaticum has this same symptom of dry and crumbly stools, they may also be coated externally with mucus. In constipation of young people who are subjected to acne and blocked pores, Natrum muriaticum should be thought of.

Nux vomica: One of the most common remedies for constipation, due to the liver affinity . This remedy is often helpful to people who are impatient, tense, indulge in stimulants and are partial to sweets and spicy food. Headaches, chilliness, and constricting pains in the bowels or rectal area often accompany constipation when Nux vomica is needed. It has the added benefit of being a great antidote to other medications, stimulating the release of toxins. Very helpful in the picture where the patient has received too many medications. There is a ‘sluggishness’ to the whole portal system and lack of peristalsis. This gives rise to ‘ineffectual urging to stool’, and when it does appear, it is incomplete and unsatisfactory. If there is no desire to go, then Nux vomica is not well indicated. Opium and Bryonia are better indicated where there is no urging to go. There can be the sensation of a ‘plug’ in the rectum which cannot be expelled (Anacardium also has this). Even soft stools are expelled with difficulty. Mental symptoms are irritability, irascibility, and objection to all opposition. Haemorrhoids are also common. Nux can be given in higher potencies (200C) to be beneficial, or in tincture daily.

Opium: While the constipation of Nux is due to irregularity of intestinal action, that of Opium is due to absolute inaction of the intestines, a regular paralysis of the peristaltic movement. There is absolutely no desire, absolutely no urging to stool whatever, and so the faeces become impacted in the bowels; and when passed at all come in little, hard, dry, black balls, here resembling the stool of Plumbu . Another drug which has no urging to stool is Bryonia, but here the lack of urging is rather due to dryness of the mucous membrane than to intestinal inactivity; with Opium there is no feeling throughout the intestinal tract, and consequently the constipation is doesn’t initially bother the patient, so it gets worse and worse until the large amounts of gas accumulating in the upper part of the intestine eventually causes great discomfort. Where the faeces need to be physically removed, this remedy should be thought of, though Selenium, Alumina, Plumbum or Bryonia may also be used in this condition. Diminished secretions are also characteristic of Opium, so that dryness intestinal inactivity, is one of the causes of constipation of old people; the patient is drowsy and dizzy.

Phosphorus:. Phosphorus has long slender stools voided with much straining.

Plumbum: There is urging to stool, and accompanying this urging is a lot of pain / colic with a marked retraction of the abdominal walls. The stool is passed with the greatest difficulty and consists of little round balls, which are black, dry and hard. There are sometimes painful spasms of the anal sphincter. The anus feels as if drawn upward. There is loss of muscular activity and dryness in the intestines

Podophyllum: Podophyllum 12th has proved of use in constipation of children. Usually alternates with diarrhoea, and there is ‘colicky’ pain.

Sepia: A heavy sensation in the rectum, remaining after a bowel movement, may indicate a need for this remedy. Stools can be hard and difficult to pass, although they may be small. The person often has cold hands and feet, and is weary and very irritable. Exercise may bring improvement, both to constipation and to mood and energy level.

Silica: When this remedy is indicated, the person strains for long periods without success. A “bashful” stool begins to come out, but eventually retreats. People who need this remedy are nervous and mentally acute, but also chilly, physically frail, and easily fatigued. There is a great deal of soreness about the anus, also an oozing of moisture. There is urging to stool and a sensation as if faeces remained in the rectum.

Sulphur: Dry, hard stools with reddish inflammation of the anus and offensive flatulence suggest a need for this remedy. Constipation may also alternate with diarrhea. People who need this remedy are often “characters” with interesting mental notions, slouching posture, and very little interest in tidiness. With Sulphur there is an ineffectual urging to stool, with a sensation of heat and discomfort in the rectum , and there is a general uneasy feeling all through the intestinal tract, due to abdominal plethora or passive portal congestion. It is very useful remedy to begin the treatment of constipation but only if well indicated. A poor constitution with frequent ill health are good indications to start with, a tendency to piles is another. The stools are hard, dark, dry, and expelled with great straining, the first effort to stool being extremely painful. There is apt to be much twitching and burning of the anus, the evacuation are often unsatisfactory, and, as in Nux, there is often a sensation as if a part remained behind. Another characteristic symptom of Sulphur is constipation alternating with diarrhea. Exercise will general help with this venous weakness seen in the Sulphur presentation.

Platina: With Platina, there is great sluggishness of intestinal tract, unsuccessful urging to stool and great dryness of the rectum. The stools seem to adhere to the rectum like glue or putty. There is great weakness in the abdomen and a sensation as if there were a load in the rectum which could not be expelled. It is considered a remedy for the constipation of emigrants and travelers, so it would seem to find an additional indication where the trouble was brought on by change of environment/ diet etc. It is also a remedy for the constipation due to lead poisoning. There is frequent urging, scanty, dry stool and great abdominal weakness. As under Ignatia, there are sharp stitches in the rectum.

Veratrum Album: Although good for diarrhoea, it has a marked effect in the treatment of constipation. Here, there is complete lack of peristalsis / action of the intestines, as under Bryonia and Opium. The faeces accumulate in large masses and have to be removed by artificial means. There are extreme cases where the patient is able to force a passage for himself; the stools are large, hard and black. As with the diarrhea there may be faintness after the stool. Dr. Bryce claims that it will bring stool quickest of any medicine I ever tried.” He used 3x. It comes in very well after Nux vomica, especially in constipation of children.

]]>http://annarayner.com/homeopathic-remedies-for-constipation/feed/1Constipation: General Recommendationshttp://annarayner.com/constipation-general-recommendations-uk-hyperlinks/
http://annarayner.com/constipation-general-recommendations-uk-hyperlinks/#respondMon, 02 Mar 2015 21:19:40 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=567CONSTIPATION: DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS / SUPPLEMENTS I have written these general guidelines for constipation, which is a problem for many of the children I see. Ideally it should accompany the Homeopathic Detox Therapy, but can help get bowels moving whilst we deal with the underlying root causes. IMPORTANT: Do not use MOVICOL or similar preparations – This […]

CONSTIPATION: DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS / SUPPLEMENTS

I have written these general guidelines for constipation, which is a problem for many of the children I see. Ideally it should accompany the Homeopathic Detox Therapy, but can help get bowels moving whilst we deal with the underlying root causes.

IMPORTANT: Do not use MOVICOL or similar preparations – This is made of polyethylene glycol, which is a petroleum-derivative compound that is made from ethylene glycol (ethane-1,2-diol), the main ingredient in antifreeze. I do not recommend it at all, in spite of the claims that it is ‘perfectly safe’. It is xenobiotic, and ill advised in a developing child.

Diet:

Water: lots and lots of clean, filtered water. At least 1.5 litres per day if possible. Not sodas/soft drinks/fruit juices etc.

(nb: my clients are able to receive a 25% discount at the Natural Dispensary. email me annaraynerhomeopath@gmail.com for details).

In small children, it can be easier to mix the above (along with Molkosan) and a small amount of diluted apple juice, and administer with a giant syringe. If capsules are a problem, there are liquid forms of zinc and magnesium, but these are more expensive, and dosage is smaller than required in these instances of chronic constipation. These would be the alternatives:

]]>http://annarayner.com/constipation-general-recommendations-uk-hyperlinks/feed/0Checklist of Toxic Exposures – For consideration when writing your child’s timeline.http://annarayner.com/checklist-toxic-exposures-consideration-writing-childs-timeline/
http://annarayner.com/checklist-toxic-exposures-consideration-writing-childs-timeline/#respondMon, 02 Mar 2015 20:59:28 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=561 I have compiled a (non-exhaustive… I am adding new ones all the time!) list of the most common culprits in the health history which should be mentioned during intake. It is helpful for parents to read and consider when creating a ‘timeline’ of events for their child. CHECKLIST OF TOXIC EXPOSURES (also available as an […]

I have compiled a (non-exhaustive… I am adding new ones all the time!) list of the most common culprits in the health history which should be mentioned during intake. It is helpful for parents to read and consider when creating a ‘timeline’ of events for their child.

Medication for mother during breast feedings, e.g. for mastitis, other infections

Dental work of mother during breast feeding (especially where involves amalgam)

Warming of baby bottles in microwaves & use of baby formulas; plastic dummies; vinyl in the bedroom; cling film on foods;

Reflux medication or vomiting medications

Medical investigations using contrast dyes

Inhalers (salbutamol and steroid inhalers – blue and brown ones)

Anti-diarrhoea medications: loperamide

Antacids with aluminium in

Plastic constipation preparations (e.g. movicol)

Any other medications (e.g. seizure medications)

Use of steroids

OTHER LIFE EVENTS YOU OR INFORMATION YOU FEEL IS PERTINENT TO YOUR CHILD’S CURRENT HEALTH CONCERNS

Please list anything, no matter how inconsequential you may feel it is. This can be situational, or physical. Diseases they may have had, traumas they endured etc. Please add this to your timeline.

If you would like to contact Anna for more information regarding treatment, she is very happy to talk to prospective clients free of charge via telephone or Skype. Contact: annaraynerhomeopath@gmail.com

]]>http://annarayner.com/checklist-toxic-exposures-consideration-writing-childs-timeline/feed/0Vaccination Detox Complete – What’s Next?http://annarayner.com/vaccination-detox-complete-next/
http://annarayner.com/vaccination-detox-complete-next/#respondWed, 07 Jan 2015 12:34:04 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=522Dear Parents, The first thing I wish to say is a huge THANK YOU for taking part in this observational research. I understand that you are already stretched to the limits, and remembering to administer strange white pillules at the correct times is no mean feat… As we come to the end of the first […]

The first thing I wish to say is a huge THANK YOU for taking part in this observational research. I understand that you are already stretched to the limits, and remembering to administer strange white pillules at the correct times is no mean feat…

As we come to the end of the first batch of participants, many parents are contacting me wanting to know what I would like in terms of feedback, and also, ‘what next?‘ in terms of onward treatment options.

Let’s start with the first part:

PARENTAL FEEDBACK FOLLOWING THE DETOX COURSE

PART 1: WRITTEN OBSERVATIONS:

Because this is an early investigative, ‘qualitative’ style of research, I am simply looking for parental accounts of any and all observations that occurred during and after the detox. If you could write a paragraph or 2 detailing observations, that would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a list of the kind of reactions that may have occurred either during or after detox. Please read through the list, and then write your account, using the list as a memory aid.

Please feel free to add your own observations that do not appear in this list. Any and all things that occurred to you are gratefully received.

PART 2: THE ATEC SCORE

For parents that completed an ATEC test at intake, I would be very grateful if you could retake the test, giving the new score. This is a more quantitative measure, which may be useful when trying to discuss the possibilities of Homeopathic Detox Therapy in the wider healthcare community.

WHAT NEXT?

If your child responded to the first course of treatment, you may be wondering what else homeopathy may offer your child, in order to continue their journey to health. I would also add that if they did not respond, this may be because there is a ‘block’ somewhere in the case history. The most common one emerging from early responders is a sometimes overlooked steroidal exposure – e.g. daily use of nasal sprays which parents may not have even realised where steroid-based.

Think of your child’s health as a timeline of events. Vaccinations were just one of many adverse events that led them to the picture of chronic ill-health which they are currently dealing with. Other common ‘events’ include:

If you book in for treatment, during the initial consultation, we will go over the checklist, and create a timeline.

I will then assess the case history, and decide which exposures were the most likely ‘tipping points’ for your child’s health. We will then systematically detox these exposures, whilst taking care to support your child in terms of more classical homeopathy, alongside a sensible (but not extreme) diet – ie., one that doesn’t create stress for parents, or a sense of isolation due to the long list of exclusions.

We will also consider supplements – my views around this are generally less is more. We want to unpick the ROOT CAUSE of the health issues, not spend a lifetime (and a whole heap of money) buying mountains of supplements. Please read my blog post on the subject for further information.

I am greatly encouraged by the early accounts that are coming in in from this project. My long-term plan will be to publish the parental accounts in a full report (anonymously of course), as we start to build a body of clinical knowledge on this kind of treatment. The potential is limitless, but we need to start systematically learning how to apply it in order to get good results, more of the time.

]]>http://annarayner.com/vaccination-detox-complete-next/feed/0LEAVE ME ALONE!http://annarayner.com/leave-alone/
http://annarayner.com/leave-alone/#respondSat, 22 Nov 2014 13:15:32 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=502The theme of treatment this week is HANDS OFF!! We have it so ingrained in us that the second a symptom appears we must ‘do something’ – give drugs, dose, tamper…. when a lot of the time, doing nothing would be a much more sensible option. The number of parents who are in a perpetual cycle […]

We have it so ingrained in us that the second a symptom appears we must ‘do something’ – give drugs, dose, tamper…. when a lot of the time, doing nothing would be a much more sensible option. The number of parents who are in a perpetual cycle of antibiotic therapy, without any apparent ‘cure’ taking place, is frightening. Antibiotics, it is my ongoing belief, are far, FAR more damaging than we give them credit for.

Alan Freestone and I recently attended the Treating Autism conference at Brunel University, and the theme of Sunday was the Gut Microbiota. We have an unholy amount of bacteria living in us. It belongs there. We need it. By destroying it, with endless rounds of antibiotics, WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE DO in terms of long-term health. There were some fascinating talks about faecal transplants, and an array of facts about exactly how much of us is in fact ‘other species’ – we are a symbiotic mass of critters, and we should respect this ecosystem. There is so little weight given to long-term research on drug outcomes, and how they may be insidiously damaging health. So just assume that these drugs, in general, are toxic and harmful. My rule of thumb would be to only use them where there is really no other alternative.

So my short message of the day is:

Unless there is a life or death reason to do so, DO NOT keep giving antibiotics for innocuous acute conditions like a sore throat, or a cough. These will resolve without you interfering, and won’t recur if properly dealt with by the body’s immune system. Chances are, with antibiotics, it will be back before you know it.. and the whole miserable cycle begins.

And this goes for all the other drugs as well. Paracetamol to suppress fevers (terrible idea), antihistamines every time there is a slight sniffle or itchy eye…. Now I know sometimes children’s health is so compromised, that they need these drugs to offer respite from horribly uncomfortable symptoms (usually caused by all the other interventions they’ve been given in the years leading up to the appearance of the symptoms). But where possible, try to turn this habit around. Leave your child alone. Let their wonderfully sophisticated bodies do the work… give the building blocks of good, organic nutrition, clean water, rest, movement, sunshine, and a stress-free environment… I guarantee outcomes will be overall better, with a longer lasting picture of health.

As a post-script, I would add that in Homeopathy, we have the tools to redress the disruption to gut flora, thanks to the work of Bach, and Patterson. The Bowel Nosodes offer a great way of restoring balance, if well applied. So do not despair – there is hope for a healthy gut, whatever the health history!

]]>http://annarayner.com/leave-alone/feed/0Why are there so many more autistic boys than girls?http://annarayner.com/many-autistic-boys-girls/
http://annarayner.com/many-autistic-boys-girls/#commentsTue, 09 Sep 2014 17:41:09 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=469Trying to answer questions like these give us the biggest chance at uncovering the real root causes of autism. By looking at obvious group differences, we can start to deduce what is the cause of this relatively new (ie. 1930s) neurological disorder, and the ongoing explosion of cases. That is why the recent revelations from […]

Trying to answer questions like these give us the biggest chance at uncovering the real root causes of autism.

By looking at obvious group differences, we can start to deduce what is the cause of this relatively new (ie. 1930s) neurological disorder, and the ongoing explosion of cases. That is why the recent revelations from the CDC Whistleblower are so important. We know autism is more common in boys – there is now evidence suggesting a racial difference in incidence. Let’s start trying to break down why….

It is my personal belief that autism is linked to exposure to mercury and other neurotoxins at critical times of development in susceptible individuals. I am very happy to stand up and say this, from what I see in my clinical practice, and after the many, many hours I have spent researching the subject. I also add into the mix my own experiences of mercury exposure, and I am left in very little doubt.

There are 4 times as many autistic boys as girls.

Why?

The most obvious area to look is testosterone as a risk factor, this being the most stark difference between boys and girls. Boyd Haley considered this, and discovered that the female hormone oestrogen decreases thimerosal’s toxic effects, whilst the male hormone testosterone greatly increases its toxicity. The combination of testosterone and thimerisol is exponentially more neurotoxic that either substance on its own. This very neatly explains the four-to-one ratio of boys to girls that become autistic and the fact that boys represent the vast majority of the severe cases of autism.

What might be more interesting still, would be to look at testosterone levels in the girls that develop autism. Are they higher than average? Are these girls typically more ‘androgynous’ in physique? This would again lend evidence to a testosterone link. Either through genetics, or in-utero exposure to toxins, perhaps some females end up with less of the protective oestrogen, and more of the toxic testosterone, making them at higher risk to develop autism. It would follow that those females at greater risk would be those who have a family history of low oestrogen and high testosterone, or those who are exposed in-utero (e.g. via flu shots with thimerosal to pregnant mothers, or mothers with large amounts of amalgam fillings – especially those with gum disease, which exacerbates the toxic effects of the released mercury).

It has been noted that people with autism have significantly lower levels of glutathione (a compound essential in the detoxification of mercury from the body). In their investigations, the father-son team Mark and David Geier found that testosterone blocks the body’s ability to make glutathione and that mercury binds to glutathione, thus inactivating whatever stores the body may already have. So exposure to testosterone and any mercury compound would be a double-whammy.

Some of these theories (and the associated research) really do help us decipher who is at risk of developing autism – so instead of arguing about why it couldn’t be true, let’s perhaps start to look at, and compile a list of plausible risk factors:

High number of dental amalgams in the mother (and concomitant gum disease)

Flu vaccination of mother during pregnancy

genetically high testosterone

prematurity (and schedule of vaccination not sufficiently delayed)

fertility treatment (there are interesting suggestions regarding feedback mechanisms and high amount of oestrogen, leading to high testosterone)

Unfortunately, no-one tests for risk factors before vaccinations are given. So I guess you should just suck up the 1/100 (or greater) chance that your child might be ‘susceptible’ to develop autism. Fingers crossed!

]]>http://annarayner.com/many-autistic-boys-girls/feed/1William Thompson, CDC Whistleblower – commenthttp://annarayner.com/william-thompson-brian-hooker-story-comment/
http://annarayner.com/william-thompson-brian-hooker-story-comment/#respondThu, 04 Sep 2014 14:01:21 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=451Anyone who is tapped into the vaccine debate will be aware of recent news that evidence suggesting an increased risk of autism, particularly in African American children who received the MMR before 2 years of age, was knowingly suppressed by the CDC for over a decade. The hiding and manipulation of data was uncovered after […]

Anyone who is tapped into the vaccine debate will be aware of recent news that evidence suggesting an increased risk of autism, particularly in African American children who received the MMR before 2 years of age, was knowingly suppressed by the CDC for over a decade.

The hiding and manipulation of data was uncovered after Dr Brian Hooker re-evaluated the original study’s data set. Hooker then went on to record telephone conversations with William Thompson, PhD, who was one of the senior scientists working on the original study. During these conversations, Thompson expressed his deep regret at the suppression of data by the CDC, and his complicit agreement to such by not speaking up at the time. Here is a transcript from part of one of these conversations between Dr Hooker and Dr Thompson, where Thompson states:

“I did not believe that we did what we did, but we did. It’s all there… This is the lowest point in my career, that I went along with that paper. I have great shame now when I meet families of kids with autism, because I have been part of the problem.”

Since this information came to light on 27th August, there has been a deafening silence from the newsrooms. CNN did publish a rather lack-lustre, non-commital article. The biased nature of Time Magazine’s article was more troubling than not reporting it at all. The title subheading read:

‘the claim however may just be more unsubstantiated fuel from the anti-vaccination movement’

Wow, what a beautifully neutral, unbiased intro to a news article. Bravo to Time magazine for that prize journalism!

As a UK resident, I say somewhat shamefully, that there is not a whiff of this story in the UK press that I can find. There is the expected back-peddling from Thompson’s lawyers, the usual Andy Wakefield-rubbishing rhetoric on various reactionary ‘science’ blogs, however no real journalism as far as I can see. Thompson has receded into the shadows under a heap of legalese, and the CDC, whilst admitting some culpability, are merely opening an investigation to ‘review’ happenings. Surely this should be done by external forces, much in the same way that you wouldn’t ask a bank to perform their own audit, when suspected of insider trading.

Wrangling aside, I feel the controversy is stopping people from asking important and interesting questions about the findings that have newly come to light.

WHY are black babies more susceptible. By asking this question, we may start to gain important clues as to susceptibility markers. These might be physiological differences – for example the difference in rates of vitamin d absorption in darker skin, or maybe socio-economic/nutritional factors in the population of the study – without looking very carefully at the data, these 2 suggestions are merely speculation, but I would ask that the ‘scientists’ start acting as such, and come up with some hypotheses.

What other data may have been suppressed because it was ‘inconvenient to the desired outcome‘? Every study examining vaccination risk should be retrospectively scrutinised and re-evaluated, with particular emphasis on possible researcher bias, potential backhanders etc. If the world was a fair place, a full-scale investigation would be launched.

Would delaying the vaccination schedule help reduce the incidence of autism? If ‘yes’, then we must assume there is at least a link between vaccination and autism. Preliminary findings in Japan suggest as such, and need to be further replicated.

Okay – this one, I am going to capitalise… because I’m raising my voice. WHERE ARE THE STUDIES COMPARING INCIDENCE OF AUTISM AND OTHER HEALTH MEASURES IN VACCINATED VERSUS UNVACCINATED POPULATIONS? The populations exist… so lets do the studies!! Come on CDC – put your money where your mouth is. Compared to the billions of dollars being wasted on genetic research of a disorder that is clearly not genetic, the cheap study I’m suggesting will be a drop in the ocean. This is a massive bug bear of mine. To hide behind the ‘it would be unethical to have a unvaccinated control group‘ argument simply will not do. We already have the unvaccinated populations in existence. Preliminary evidence from small scale studies again suggest there absolutely IS a difference in the numbers of cases of autism in vaccinated vs vaccinated populations. Take the unvaccinated Amish population for one. This is surely the most powerful piece of evidence of all, and yet somehow, it is glossed over.

Who makes the decision as to which risks my child should be exposed to – it is me, or is it my Government? I believe it is my right as a parent to choose between a calculated risk of complications from a normal childhood disease, which, in the majority of cases where there is no concomitant problem, is relatively low… or an indiscriminate, and untested, and unknown increase in the risk of developing a permanent neurological disorder… or perhaps some other chronic disease, as a consequence or the immune disruption that vaccination may cause in susceptible individuals. The thought of mandatory vaccination from a State level is so utterly horrifying that it sends shivers down my spine. The idea that I cannot choose whether or not my child gets 49 shots of 14 vaccines before age 6 (current schedule in the US), and if I opt out, they lose their right to education, is such an abominable violation of human rights as to be frightening. It was certainly enough to send me scuttling back to Europe from New York, before my kids reached school age.

The real underlying problem in this whole debate, is that on the one side, we are talking about dead or permanently injured children. No one likes dead children. I will go out on a limb, and call that a fact. This is why the vaccine industry has such an easy ride. By largely making up data on actual risk of death from a childhood disease (which frankly is impossible to know now) and by banding about terms like ‘outbreaks’, ‘herd immunity’ (which if people really took the time to investigate, they would realise is a nonsense in relation to vaccination, as it is only possible through the natural inherited immunity over many generations), and by demonising people who want to make alternative choices, they really are onto an absolute gold mine.

People respond beautifully to fear. Fear of death is incredibly powerful – even more so for your tiny child. This is why vaccine manufacturers have for decades, got away without properly investigating vaccine safety, let alone the human rights aspects of forced vaccination. Vaccines were introduced with the idea to lower infant mortality. And, possibly make a few bucks in the process. Well… it would be a shame not to be properly remunerated for stopping babies dying right?

The Polio vaccine is deemed one of the great success stories. This was a horrible disease, no question. But no-one seems to talk about the first botched attempt of polio vaccination in 1955 in the USA, where they ‘made a mistake’ in the vaccine, and of the 200,000 children vaccinated, 40,000 developed full-blown polio as a consequence of the vaccine, leaving 200 permanently paralysed. Whoops. Oh well, what’s 200 paralysed children between friends? Let’s just crack on, rap ourselves on the knuckles, and do better next time. I wonder how many natural outbreaks of polio we would need to have seen before even coming close to figures like that, given that in 95% of naturally occurring cases, the disease in completely innocuous, and of the remaining 5% only 1-2% develop paralysis. Wouldn’t it be better, just as a thought, to find out what is different about those 5% who become paralysed, and to look for ways of making these susceptible individuals become less susceptible, rather that vaccinating the whole 100%? It is madness. Is it not wholly ‘unscientific’ to assume, a priori, that you are not going to cause any long-term, knock-on effects, by interfering in the most intricately sophisticated system of biochemistry that is the human body. Is it not your scientific duty to measure this? I have said it before, and I’ll say it again – we just do not know, or understand, or even measure, the damage we may be doing. And to be completely honest, we don’t even really know how effective the vaccines are. Diseases tend to ebb and flow over centuries anyway, by dint of real herd immunity… but now we have interfered in this natural process, it’s hard to know which way is up. What was a natural decline due to timing, and what was entirely down to the vaccination?

Ultimately, the fact is that we cannot cheat death. It will always come. And sometimes children will die. These may be the things to come to terms with, rather that opting unquestioningly for the systematic neurological and immune disruption of an entire generation of humans.

]]>http://annarayner.com/william-thompson-brian-hooker-story-comment/feed/0A letter to the Editor of the Economisthttp://annarayner.com/letter-editor-economist/
http://annarayner.com/letter-editor-economist/#respondTue, 22 Jul 2014 15:09:35 +0000http://annarayner.com/?p=413 I wrote this letter to the Editor of the Economist today, but almost certainly it will not see the light of day. I thought I’d publish it here instead! LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE ECONOMIST I was somewhat puzzled to read your article entitled: ‘Anti-vaccine campaigners: Clueless’ in the June print edition […]

We subscribe to the Economist largely because in general, the quality of the journalism tends to be relatively high. This article, by contrast, should have been thrown to the cutting room floor long before the proofs were sent off to the printers.

The vaccine debate is hugely controversial and highly charged, this much is certain. But let us be under no illusion: in terms of media representation, the relative safety of vaccination is subject to massive bias on account of its relative economic value, and the catastrophic economic effect that any evidence questioning safety would have on the pharmaceutical industry as a whole. A campaign to shout down and discredit any voices of concern would seem good economic sense.

I am not particularly interested in jumping on soapboxes, or in hearing rants from either side of the debate. I am interested in the truth and facts. The more I read on this topic, the more concerns I have regarding vaccination safety. There are clear issues around informed consent, lack of regard for individual susceptibility to adverse effects, as well as many unanswered questions as to its relative efficacy.

As a parent in charge of a small person’s health, I don’t take anything as a given. To assume that doctors have all the answers and are always right would be asinine. When in history has that ever been the case? Are we the magic generation that happen to exist at the time of omniscience? Wow – lucky us! Given that the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in the US has paid out $2,671,223,269.97 in compensation cases since 1989, one can probably assume that vaccinations are not, at least not in every case, ‘perfectly safe’.

Quality research looking at long-term health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations simply doesn’t exist. This is not acceptable any more. Vaccine producers really should be obliged to demonstrate in no uncertain terms the long-term safety of the current childhood vaccination schedule. This would be, after all, a scientific approach. The populations of unvaccinated children already exist (e.g. home-schooled populations in the US), so there is no ethical obstacle to examining the relative long-term health of the two groups. Can we please start gathering some proper data on the subject, rather than engaging in a constant slanging match, which is neither scientific, nor helpful?